AMD Athlon64 X2 CPUs - 4200? 4400? 4600? 4800?

[StormPC]

Don't waste your money on a 4600+ (or 4400+). The 4200+ is just as good for things that dual core CPUs do well, and much more reasonable on price.

I think it's a huge mistake to put an X2 in a Shuttle unless you use water-cooling and an external high quality PSU. If you do that though what is the advantage of a Shuttle? Nope, big mistake.

Unless you are buying the machine as a number cruncher or you must run multiple CPU intensive applications the X2 is not a good choice. The San Diego 3700+ and 4000+ would be much better.

I also wouldn't go FX-55. The FX-57 is here and the FX-55 will see a price reduction soon.

[Scarlet Infidel]

Would you not spend the 6.5% ish (£30) to get the 4400+ over the 4200+? Well, obviously you didnt. But i think id be tempted to. However i have never spent more than £100 on a cpu so i wont argue.

[StormPC]

Actually I did, but in my opinion it's not worth it. I had three X2's initially. Like I said, the things dual cores do well are done on a 4200+ very nearly as well as a 4400+ or 4600+, and the 4200+ at 2490MHz outperforms a stock 4800+. My 4800+ didn't overclock much better than my 4400+, and the cache didn't make much difference in the things dual cores are best at.

[Scarlet Infidel]

Ive just looked up some benchmarks and as you say, extra cache doesnt help much in most things especially the things youd use an X2 for. I wish i could afford a 4200+ for my video encoding, id love to move back to amd.

[Shmee150]

So wait, you sound like you know a lot about this StormPC, in you honest opinion do you think I should get a 4200 and OC it? And that there is no point in buying the faster of the equivalent range? Considering that it is actually nearer £150 up from the 4200 to the 4600 it is a hard choice but Shuttle's do not allow much in the way of overclocking and I want to get the most out of it and push the Shuttle barebone (SN25P) to it's limit!

ShMeE

[StormPC]

If you insist on an X2 and a Shuttle you should plan on almost no overclock which means if you need the best performance you should buy the most expensive dual core you can afford.

I caution you though to determine if you really need a dual core. The dual cores do not run single threaded apps as well as a single core CPU for the same money. If you are NOT doing heavy number crunching or running more than one CPU intensive application you will be throwing money away buying a dual core chip.

The 3700+ will smoke the 4400+ in single threaded applications if you overclock, because the 4400+ will not even get close to the 3700+ overclocks. On the same cooling you could run a 3700+@2830MHz+ 24/7 you'll be lucky to run the 4400+ at 2500MHz. Dual core is not for gamers or enthusiasts.

Sounds like you may need a dual core but you really need to be honest with yourself if you are to get the best bang for your buck.

[derthballs]

the extra cache is worth about 200mhz in real terms.

[StormPC]

the extra cache is worth about 200mhz in real terms.

Not on dual cores it isn't, at least not on the applications I have run. Not sure why yet.

[Shmee150]

I do appreciate your input and thank you for what you've helped me out with so far.

I think the other thing I need to take into consideration is that this system will last 6 months top (then I'll be back in here going through all this again ) so you are probably right that a single core Athlon64 is the way to go.

I did not realise until just now when I ran into this site: http://www.techwarelabs.com/reviews/.../index_3.shtml that when it gets to the things that you literally do every day that the Athlon was so far ahead of Pentium so am very tempted now to be swayed in the direction you've pointed me.

So the next question (yes I am sorry I have so many!!!), which single core to go with? There are the following that I consider in the region I'm looking at:

3700 San Diego - £225
3800 Venice - £255
4000 San Diego - £330

When I set about sorting out this computer I was willing to pay £400ish for my processor, so I suppose the obvious thing is to buy the 4000 San Diego and enjoy it

I would just be interested if you agree with this proposition and then I may go for it!

Thank you again for the advice!

ShMeE

[StormPC]

The 4000+ is a great processor to be sure. If you must go Shuttle that is the best choice.

If you could get away with using a full-sized case (mid-tower) and you were interested in saving some money and overclocking a bit, the 3700+ is a better value.

[Shmee150]

Righty, I think I will order one right now, it's £320 at eBuyer, that's the cheapest I've found and it's nice and easy to get hold of so thank you again for the advice and input with this!

As to why no full-sized case, my desktop does a lot of travelling, well I move around every few weeks and it goes with me, so no big one for me!!

Thanks,

ShMeE

[Chemical_Ali]

4400+ for only £381.13 inc free delivery.

http://www.lowestonweb.com/Products/...7-78706DBF5144

[Shmee150]

Thanks for that, does anybody know if they are a decent place to buy from? (since then I've decided 4400 is the way to go )

Cheers,

ShMeE

[Chemical_Ali]

u talking about www.lowestonweb.com?
if so yes, they're probably better than most other e-tailers imo. they're a massive company, owned by Evesham Technology i dont know if you've ever heard of them but i spent well over a thousand pounds with them and their RMA service is the best. they came and picked up my faulty MP3 player and exhanged it for a new one within a week and a half with citylink. and it was my fault i dropped it down the stairs but i didnt tell them that.

[Shmee150]

Humm,

I have since read some not so positive reviews, but I appreciate that people complain far more often then are positive comparatively.

I do know of Evesham from their various budget PCs all over PCW etc...

I may buy - don't know, but thanks for the pointer,

ShMeE

[Smokey21]

hhehe, iam in the same boat as you mate.

I never buy cheap stuff, and i only want to overlock a bit, and ill keep the pc for ages, so iam thinking 4400+ as well, but then again, it might not be worth it for another 18 months, iam leening more towards a 3700+ SD.